Gameloft and my IAP woe

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by globalist, Dec 15, 2012.

  1. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

    Jan 11, 2010
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    So my 3-year old just "purchased" a 45€ IAP in a Gameloft game My Little Pony. :eek::eek::eek:


    Some stupid gold coins and we don't even know how to play the game. I was contently watching her tap around the app, not worried about IAP thinking the app would require a password for any such attempt. Turns out it does not.

    See, for those unaware, there's a short window that allows password-less IAPs 15 minutes after a password has been entered on the app store on the device. And that's just what happened here.

    Now I've already opened a ticket with gameloft kindly asking them to return the 45EUR, but maybe you guys have some experience with this?

    Are Gameloft prone to return money for inadvertent IAPs? Thanks!
     
  2. Echoseven

    Echoseven Moderator
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    Jul 19, 2011
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    It will be on Apple, not Gameloft. They won't even HAVE the money yet. Try reporting it from your purchase history.
     
  3. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

    Jan 11, 2010
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    Hmm, but the money will end up with Gameloft eventually, right? What if, by the time Apple gets down to sorting this out for me, the money is already with GL?
     
  4. iPhone_Junky

    iPhone_Junky Member

    Jan 9, 2011
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    Why didn't you log out?

    That's grossly negligent.
     
  5. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

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    #5 globalist, Dec 15, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2012
    That's grossly smug of you to say.

    I was under the impression IAPs are ALWAYS password-protected. Had I known Apple is by default allowing the 15-minute window even for IAPs, I'd have changed the Restrictions setting a long time ago. And there'd be no need to log out too, then.

    I'm not sure why this is not disallowed by default. No-one should have to learn this obscure setting even exists the same hard way I did. :mad:
     
  6. TheMerc

    TheMerc Well-Known Member

    Jul 11, 2012
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    #6 TheMerc, Dec 15, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2012
    Try and check your bank account and see if those 45$ have been deducted. If the money hasn't been sent to Gameloft yet, you should immediately get in touch with Apple to let them know it was an unintended purchase. If you have already been notified of your purchase by Apple (I don't know if your payment method is the same as mine, but I usually recieve an e-mail by Apple one or two days after I purchase something), then your only hope is to contact Gameloft and hope they'll be understanding. I don't know if you should be hopeful, since what happened falls outside of Gameloft's responsibility: it was just neglect by your part, whether you're to blame or not.
    And by the way, it's not that hard to find out about that password setting: when you purchase some apps, that setting is what saves you from having to type in your password once for every app purchased.
     
  7. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

    Jan 11, 2010
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    #7 globalist, Dec 15, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2012
    It would truly not be hard to find out about the setting only if the setting were set to Off by default and you'd thus be forced to learn about its existence. Had you ever the need to even change it to On (for whatever reason) in the first place, that is.

    But allowing this sort of inadvertent in-app purchasing by default and then saying "Oh but there's a setting you should have known about" is not OK and not user-oriented, in my book.

    And seeing as it's much easier to inadvertedly purchase a hefty IAP than it is to do a pricey app, Apple should make the settings separate - one setting for IAPs and another one for regular purchases. This also just in case some people start screaming "But just because you are negligent and suck at parenting I don't wanna be forced to enter my password every minute I download an app from the store". :p

    Anyways the money has already been taken from my bank account but I only receive the itunes emails like you, 2 days after purchase. So not really sure where the money is currently... Clicking on Report a problem in itunes purchases leads me to a generic knowledgebase at apple.com with no way to get in touch with them via a form.
     
  8. Echoseven

    Echoseven Moderator
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    Taken from the account or not, Apple will still be able to refund it. I don't see why they wouldn't.

    You can log into iTunes from your computer and check the purchase history there. There's even a report button there, too.
     
  9. TakenXXDeadly

    TakenXXDeadly Well-Known Member

    Jun 7, 2011
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    Im fairly sure they don't refund consumable IAP. I'm sure, but I may be wrong. I'm sorry OP. if it wasn't consumable then they'd refund it. Not quite sure about this though, I thought apple had a no refund policy for this situation.
    See, apple has no reason to think that (no offense or anything, not meaning that it wasn't an accident) it was on accident. They could think you may be faking it.
     
  10. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

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    The button leads here:

    http://www.apple.com/uk/support/itunes/

    How shouls I report the issue there?
     
  11. TIMELESS

    TIMELESS Well-Known Member

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    Everytime I have gone to apple they say it is up to the developer.However if the dev will not return it apple will one time only.They will want the receipt proof of purchase.God luck.
     
  12. DannyTheElite

    DannyTheElite Well-Known Member

    Oct 13, 2012
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    I learnt it a different way I clicked buy on a game and I bought it accidentally
     
  13. DannyTheElite

    DannyTheElite Well-Known Member

    Oct 13, 2012
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    Never ask apple for refunds I did twice and they gave me £0.00
     
  14. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

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    #14 globalist, Dec 15, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2012
    Yes it makes you wonder how stupid defaults like these can even get past the drawing board phase these days. All in the name of dumbifying the user experience... and increasing the profits.
     
  15. DannyTheElite

    DannyTheElite Well-Known Member

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    It's even worse with the new App Store if I hadn't turned that off I would have bought 20 apps I only wanted to read descriptions for
     
  16. DannyTheElite

    DannyTheElite Well-Known Member

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    I think apple wants us to buy apps and IAPs accidentally because whatever happened they get the money.Also if you do buy something by accident or even if you bought it and it doesn't work you get the same reply.read our T&Cs it says all purchases made in the app store and iTunes are final.No refunds
     
  17. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

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    Seeing as there's no real way to "Report the problem" anyway I'm not even going to bother with reporting this to Apple. Hoping for Gameloft to do the right thing here... :)
     
  18. Filing Cabinet

    Filing Cabinet Well-Known Member

    Aug 20, 2011
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    I was under the impression that the IAP purchase password prompt was independent from the 15 minute app store download window.

    guess not, I will have to be more careful in the future.

    but 45 Eur purchase through IAP wow
     
  19. globalist

    globalist Well-Known Member

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    No it's not independent and that's the crux of the issue. :(

    But to stay positive, it was only 44,99€, not a full 45€. :p
     
  20. lena

    lena Well-Known Member

    Mar 26, 2011
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    Me too. I thought this was fixed a while ago when lots of these stories were in the news with children buying buckets of smurfberries. I thought there was still a 15 minute window for purchases, but that IAPs were specifically excluded from that. I cannot find anything about that though, just some news reports that say that Apple contemplated changing the window. I did find this:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4009
    which to me indicates that it has to be 15 minutes since your last IAP, not since you last did anything with a password. So, assuming you did not buy any IAP yourself in that 15 minute window, your password should not have been saved.

    I really wouldn't count on Gameloft here. Complain with Apple, from your purchase history. I have heard of reports from people who did get a refund for this exact scenario, so I would definitely make an effort.
     

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